


Finding My Way

by maggs_13



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-10
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-26 04:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maggs_13/pseuds/maggs_13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kelley O'Hara is a freshman at the University of California. Along the way, she meets people that become a big part of her life, and goes through things that will leave a big impact on her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this first chapter's kinda short, I wrote it at school today. Trying to make the rest of the chapters longer.

Kelley plopped down on her bed in her dorm. She finally finished unpacking and her parents had just left. She hadn’t been lying down for five minutes before a dark haired girl walked in. Kelley immediately sprang up and greeted the girl, “Hi, I’m Kelley. You must be my roomie.”

  
The girl smiled, “Ali.” Just then, a man walked in carrying four cardboard boxes. “And this is my brother, Kyle.”

  
Kyle set the boxes down and smiled. “Hi, you must be Al’s roommate.”

  
“That would be me,” Kelley beamed, “I’m Kelley.”

  
Kyle checked his watch and frowned slightly. “Al I have an appointment I got to get to,” he told his sister, “I’ll swing by here later and make sure you’re all settled in.”

  
“Thanks Kyle, love you.”

  
“Love you too, little sis.” As Kyle was leaving, a tall bonde haired girl with a sick sleeve tattoo walked in, high fiving Kyle as they passed. “Ash-O!” he yelled.

  
“Kyle-O!” the blonde exclaimed, walking into the dorm. Ali smiled at the girl as she came in and pecked Ali on the cheek. This mad Ali smile bigger, making her nose crinkle.

  
“Ash, this is my roommate, Kelley,” Ali introduced as Ash snaked an arm around the girl’s waist, “and Kelley, this is my girlfriend, Ashlyn.”

  
Ash nodded, “Sup.”

  
Kelley smiled, “Nice to meet you, Ashlyn”

  
“Since Kyle left, will you two help me with my stuff?” Ali asked.

  
“Sure thing,” “’Course not, babe,” Kelley and Ash told the girl at the same time.

  
Over the next couple of hours, they had unpacked all of Ali’s things and organized them neatly, as well as learning many things about one another. Ashlyn and Ali learned that Kelley was practically obsessed with squirrels. And even though she acted like a goofy little kid, she was actually really smart. Kelley learned that Ashlyn and Ali had been best friends since pre-k and started dating in the eleventh grade. She learned that they spoke German when Ashlyn let “Ich liebe dich” out. Something that they had all learned about each other: they were all there to play soccer.

  
“Since we’re all done, why don’t we go down to the student fair thingy?” Kelley suggested.

  
“Student fair thingy?” Ashlyn teased.

  
“Shut up you know what I mean.”

  
Ashlyn laughed. “Well sounds good to me.”

  
Ali agreed and they all headed out for the “student fair thingy” as Kelley called it.

 

The first booth the three came upon was the Students for Christ booth. Ashlyn had wanted to check it out as soon as she saw a long board propped up on the side of the table. The girl was messing with the wheels on it, but stopped whenever she saw people approaching. “Hey guys,” she said as Kelley, Ali, and Ashlyn all stopped at the booth. “Wassup I’m Tobin, and this,” she gestured to the banner behind her, “is Students for Christ. Basically we get together about two or three times a week, worship God, and then about once or twice a month we month we get together to do service projects.”

  
“What kind of service projects?” Ali asked, her hand in Ashlyn’s and their fingers intertwined.

  
“Well, it kinda depends on the month. Like in December we collect toys for orphans, and then like in April, we help Kingdom Builders build houses.”

  
“That sounds pretty cool,” Kelley said.

  
“It really is. I uh see you’re wearing a University of California soccer shirt. You play?”

  
“Oh yeah, I kinda got a scholarship to play here. Actually, we all did.”

  
“Ya know SFC really supports soccer here.”

  
“Really?” Ashlyn asked.

  
“Yeah, big banners and signs, rowdy student section. About four or five girls on the team are a part of the group.”

  
“Oh that’s cool.”

  
“Yeah, lemme give you guys a brochure,” Tobin said as she grabbed a pamphlet, jotting her number down before giving it to Ali. “Hope to see you there on Wednesday.”

They all smiled and said bye to Tobin as they started making their way through other booths. At the end, they stopped at a surfing and paddle board booth, because as it turned out, both Kelley and Ashlyn enjoyed surfing. While the two were talking with a couple of surfers, Ali started talking to one of the paddle boarders.

  
“So you’re here for soccer?” the paddle boarder, Alex, asked after a few back and forth get to know you questions.

  
“Yeah,” Ali told her, “me, my girlfriend Ashlyn, and Kelley are. You play?”

  
“No actually I play volleyball.”

  
“Oh I played that in high school for about a year.”

  
“Why’d you quit?” Alex asked, wondering why anyone would want to quit volleyball.

  
“Soccer, family stuff, personal life, academics,” Ali told the girl. “Just had too much on my plate and I had to get rid of something.”

  
“Ohhh, I get it,” Alex understood the situation, seeing as she had to do the same thing with another sport in high school.

  
Suddenly, arms were around Ali’s waist and a head was resting on her shoulder. Ali smiled, “Alex, this is Ashlyn. Ashlyn, Alex.”

  
“Hi,” Ashlyn said, not moving away from her girlfriend.

  
“Nice to meet you,” Alex said.

  
Kelley strutted over and propped an arm on Alex’s shoulder, having to tilt it up because of a three inch height difference. She stuck out her other hand. “The name’s O’Hara. Kelley O’Hara,” the smaller girl spoke in an unusual tone of voice.

  
Alex let out a small, quick laugh before shaking the freckled faced girl’s hand, “Morgan. Alex Morgan.”

  
Before anyone could say anything, Kelley’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped slightly. The other three girls directed their attention to where Kelley was looking and saw a tall, muscular, dark haired, and very attractive girl in line at the outdoor coffee stand. “Who… Is… That?” Kelley asked.

  
“Hope Solo. Senior. Nothing but a heart breaker. Don’t trust her. She’ll leave you without a second thought no matter how much you meant to her and vice versa,” Alex informed the group through gritted teeth. Her hands were balled into fists and her knuckles were turning white. Not once did she take her eyes off Hope.

  
Ashlyn raised an eyebrow, lifting her head from her girlfriend’s shoulder. “You uh, have experience with her..?”

  
Alex jerked her head back to the trio, receiving questioning looks from all of them. “N-no. Just what I heard. From a friend. Who used to date her.” Alex’s mind went immediately back to the summer between her sophomore and junior year of high school.

 

 

_Alex walked into Hope’s room and flung herself onto her girlfriend’s bed, her left arm and leg draped over the older girl. “Hi there,” she said into Hope’s neck._

  
_“Hey…” Hope said, her voice soft._

  
_Alex looked up at the girl worriedly, “Something wrong?”_

  
_Hope averted her eyes from her girlfriend and cleared her throat. “Hop up, we uh… We need to talk.” Alex slowly detangled herself from the larger girl. She sat up and slung her feet over the edge of Hope’s bed, a million thoughts running through her head all the while. Hope sat up beside her and placed her hand over Alex’s shaking knee. “You know how I’m going off to college in two weeks?”_

  
_Alex gulped a little and nodded._

  
_“Well, I’m going to be four hours away and I’ll be real busy with school and all-“ Hope was cut off._

  
_“What are you trying to say, Hope?”_

  
_“Well um…”_

  
_Alex stood up abruptly in front of Hope. “Just tell me already. I’m not a little girl anymore. I can take it.”_

  
_Hope sighed before looking up at Hope with stone cold blue eyes. “We need to break up,” Hope’s voice threatened to crack._

  
_Alex let out a tiny gasp, shock written all over her face, “Wh-What?”_

  
_“With college and all I won’t have any time for distractions. And you have volleyball and stuff. Plus we’ll be four hours away. Our relationship would be seriously strained.”_

  
_“But Hope… We’ve been dating for over a year. We can make it work!” Alex cried._

  
_“No. We can’t.”_

  
_“Hope please!”_

  
_Hope rose from her seat on the bed swiftly and looked Alex directly in the eye. “No! We can’t damnit! It’s what’s best for me! It’s what’s best for you! Fuck, it’s what’s best for everyone! Your immature mind just can’t process it though!”_

  
_Alex opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Hope had never yelled at her like that. She had never really yelled at her at all. She looked down at the ground, the tears that brimmed her eyes moments ago now rolling off her cheek and to the ground. She looked back up at Hope, whose hard face was now softening as she realized what she had said._

  
_“Alex…” Hope lightly touched the girl’s upper arm. At Hope’s touch, Alex bolted out of the room, out of the house, and into the hot summer rain. She didn’t know where she was going. She guessed home so she could avoid the ‘I told you so’s’ of her friends._  
 _Hope ran outside to catch up with her now ex-girlfriend, but all she could see was figure running down the sidewalk about a football field away. She quickly ran inside and grabbed her keys off the table by the door before dashing back out to her car. After hurriedly cranking up, she sped out of the drive and down the wet road. She caught up with the running girl quickly. “Alex!” she yelled as she let down the window. “Alex would you just please stop?!” No matter what Hope said, Alex didn’t stop. Hope sped up and pulled over to the side of the road. She got out and blocked the girl from passing her. “C’mon, let me take you home,” she said as she placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder._

  
_“I’ll be fine on my own,” Alex said, her voice cracking._

  
_“You live on the other side of town. I don’t want you to get sick. Let me take you home.”_

  
_Alex sighed, knowing this would be one of the few arguments with Hope that she didn’t win, “Fine. Whatever.” She walked over and got in Hope’s car on the passenger side._

  
_Hope got in and noticed Alex shivering. She leaned back and produced a Seattle Sounders blanket from the back seat. Hope moved to California from Seattle just two years, and Hope wasn’t about to stop cheering for her Emerald City. “Here,” she said, placing the blanket in Alex’s lap, “wrap up in this.”_  
 _Alex took the blanket gratefully without a word, but she couldn’t help but think that yesterday Hope would’ve wrapped it around Alex herself. For the next fifteen minutes the two rode in complete silence. Hope pulled into Alex’s driveway. The minute Hope put the car in park, Alex bolted out and into her house, Hope’s blanket still wrapped around her. She still had the Seattle Sounders blanket._

 

 

“Well,” Kelley said, “I’ll just have to learn the hard way I guess.” The small girl flashed a smile and ran over to get in line behind Hope.

  
Alex muttered under her breath, “Oh dear Lord…”

  
Hope thought someone was behind her, so she turned around to check. And sure enough there stood a small freckled faced girl. “Hi!” the younger girl said as Hope was turning back around.

  
“Hello,” Hope said to her, her back turned to the freshman.

  
“I’m Kelley.”

  
“Hope.”

  
Kelley became a little discouraged at the lack of eye contact and effort in the conversation, but quickly overcame it. “I’m new here.”

  
“I figured.”

  
“So what’s good here? You look like a coffee extraordinaire.” Kelley smiled to herself at her use of a big word.

  
Hope sighed and turned around, about to tell the annoying girl to buzz off, but couldn’t find it in her when she got a good look at her. She had never seen anybody that was this kind of beautiful ever in her life. She backed up a little so she could stand beside Kelley. “I’m just getting coffee, but their lattes are good too.”

  
“I guess I’ll get a latte then.”

  
Hope stepped up to order being next in line. “One coffee,” she tried her damnedest to stop the words that were about to come of her mouth, “and one latte,” but she failed.

  
“What are you doing,” Kelley asked, a look of confusion spread across her face.

  
Hope dug into her wallet, producing a five dollar bill. “Buying coffee, what does it look like?” She handed the cashier the five and was handed back a few coins in change.  
“Is that latte for me?”

  
Hope looked around, “I don’t see anybody else who it would be for.” Their order were placed in front of them and Hope picked up her coffee. She gave a tiny smile, “See you around.” And with that, the older girl walked off.

  
Kelley spun around to face where the small group of three was standing, her mouth hanging open with a smile. She picked up her coffee cup and skipped back to the group.  
“Mission successful!” she exclaimed as she received a high five from Ashlyn.

  
“I guess she isn’t so bad after all,” Ali remarked.

  
Alex lifted her chin, a knot in her chest forming from the scene that was just played out in front of her, “We’ll see.”


	2. Chapter 2

Kelley, Alex, Ali, and Ashlyn headed for the student building Wednesday night. It had been a little over a week since they first met, and they had all be hanging out together for most of it. "Ugh we shouldn't have walked," complained Kelley.

Ashlyn let out a light laugh while swinging her girlfriend's hand, " How else would we get there?"

"Squirrel chariots, duh," Kelley stated confidently.

"Squirrel chariots?" Alex asked, a little amused.

"Yes," Kelley confirms.

Alex shakes her head, opening the door of the the student building," Well alrighty then."

They walked in and headed toward one of the large meeting rooms. When they got in the room, they spotted Tobin talking with another girl.

"Who's that?" Alex asked.

"That's Tobin," Ali informed her, " I think she's like in charge or something."

A few minutes later, Tobin walked over to the small group, "Hey! You guys made it!"

"Alex, Tobin. Tobin, Alex," Kelley introduced. Tobin and Alex shook hands. Tobin let her fingers linger a little longer than ususal. Alex liked it.

Tobin looked down at her watch. "We're about to start. Hang back after?"

"Yeah sure of course," Alex answered quickly.

Tobin beamed, looking directly at Alex, "Great, see you guys in a bit." She walked off toward a group around the makeshift plywod stage.

 

 

Kelley scanned the room. A few girls from soccer practice said they might be coming, but she didn't see them. Instead she found familiar, icey blue eyes. Hope. She spun around to the other three girls. "Hey I'm gonna go sit with the hottie over there. See y'all afterwards," and with that she was off to sit with Hope.

"Kell really likes that Hope chick, " Ashlyn observed.

"Ijust hope she doesn't get hurt..." Alex inaudibly murmered under her breath.

 

 

Hope was seated in the very back row, flipping through her Bible, when a small figure with a familiar voice slid into the seat beside her. "Hey."

Hope turned her head to see the young girl she had bought coffee for the other week sitting beside her. "Hi," she said, the corners of her mouth turnde up a little.

"I didn't expect to see you here," the young girl stated, earning a nod Hope. "But I'm glad I did."

Hope raised an eyebrow at the freckled faced girl. A smirk was trying to form on her face. "Really? Why?"

"Well... Uh..." Kelley's face turned a bright shade of red and Hope did her best to seem unamused. "Ya see... I..."

Just then the two heard Tobin, who was npw standing on the small stage, speak into a microphone, "Hey guys, we're going to go ahead and get started with a word of prayer, so if you all will please bow your heads."

While Tobin was praying, Kelley silently thanked God from saving her from utter embarrassment.

 

 

When it was over, Alex, Ali, and Ashlyn were all standing by a table stocked with snacks and lemonade. From where she was standing, Alex could see Hope and Kelley close to the door. Kelley's mouth was moving a mile a minute. She was spewing words that she probably wouldn't remember within the next couple of minutes. To anyone else, the look on Hope's face would appear uninterested, but Alex knew that look. She was intrigued.

"How'd you guys like it?" Tobin asked as she walked overto the group. Alex jerked her attention away from the two opposites.

"It was really cool," Ali answered.

"Yeah it was different than what I expected. Good different, " Ashlyn added.

"Good, good. Well me and Syd over there," Tobin pointed behind her to a girl with almost enough tattoos to match Ashlyn, "are going to In-N-Out for some real food. You guys want to join?"

Tobin smiled and looked at the slightly taller girl, "Great."

Five minutes later, the group was headed towards the door. Kelley was still babbling to a secretly intrigued Hope. "Kell! We're going to In-N-Out, you coming?" Ashlyn asked.

Kelley look quickly over to Ash, shouting, "Yeah one sec!" before turning her attention back to Hope. "You should come with us! Please?" Kelley looked up at the tall girl with big brown eyes.

Hope looked at Kelley, then uo to the group to find that all eyes, especially Alex's, were on her. Alex wanted nothing more in than moment than for Hope to say no. Hope sensed that. She looked at Alex and lifted her chin at her. "Maybe some other time." She turned her attention back to girl. "See you later." Without another word, she left.

Kelley frowned and turned to the group. "I don't think tonight went so well."

Ashlyn threw an arm around her shoulder, "Don't worry about it, you'll have another shot. Now c'mon, let's go pig out."

"Alright," Kelley smiled slightly, "yeah." Her smile grew a little. "Yeah let's."

The group headed outside and to Tobin's jeep. "Shotgun!" Kelley yelled, running to the passneger side.

"Looks like she bounced back really quick," Alex commented on Kelley's sudden change of behavior.

Ali nodded, "I hope it all works out for her."

"didn't you say your friend went out with her," Ashlyn asked, "What exaxctly happened?"

Alex sighed. "They were in love. Hope was good to her and vice versa. They were practically perfect for each other. Hope protected her at all costs. But something happened and Hope ended it. Uh, my friend, she tried to fight for their relationship, but Hope snaped on m-her." Tears were threatening to form in her eyes.

"Wow. Maybe Kelley and Hope shouldn't happen then..." Ashlyn stated.

"Don't get me wrong, Hope... She can be a really good person," Alex told them when opening one of the back doors of Tobin's jeep.

They all piled in, Tobin and Kelley in the front, Sydney and Alex in the middle, and Ali and Ashlyn in the very back. Alex was having a hard time paying attention to the girls' conversatin over a the scene playin in her head.

 

 

 

_Alex and Hope were laying on Alex's couch one Friday night. Alex's sister was at some senior-only party and her parents were away on one of her mom's business trips. Hope could've gon to the party Jeri was at, but she insisted that she would rather hang out with her girlfriend instead. Alex was half asleep on top of Hope with their legs intertwined. One of Hope's hands held ontp her girlfriend while the oth supported her from falling. The sound of Friends on the TV was the only noise in the house. To Hope, Alex appeared to be asleep. She leaned down and put her mouth close to the young girl's ear. "I love you," she whispered._

_Alex heard her and pushed herslef up a little. "What?" She placed her hands on Hope's abdomen and pushed herself up until she was sitting up straight._

_Hope looked up at the girl and brought her hand up to Alex's face. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and said a little louder, "I love you, Alex."_

_A corner of Alex's mouth turned up, "R-Really?"_

_Hope tooka moment to appreciate her girlfriend's face in the dimly lit room. "Yeah. I do."_

_"Hope, I love you too." Hope ran her fingers down the small girl's bare arm as Alex leaned down to press their lips together._

_  
_ After getting their food and sitting down, four of the girls entered conversations. Syd and Kelley were having an animated conversation about Beyonce, and Ali and Ashlyn were having an almost inaudible conversation. Neither Kelley nor Alex wanted to disturb them, since they knew they hadn't had much alone time, let alone many private conversations since moving to college. That left Alex and Tobin. "So what year are you?" Tobin asked after finishing a handful of fries.

"Sophomore. You?"

"Junior." Tobin didn't know exactly what was happening. Her usual, easy going and carefree self was blocked by the mesmerizing volleyball player. She felt awkward, nervous, and a little uncomfortable. She hated feeling like this. But having Alex as the reason for this feeling made her be kind of okay with it. "So..."

"What do you like to do?" Alex quickly asked.

Tobin internally let out a sigh of relief, "Surf, longboard, ya know, stuff. How about you?"

"Volleyball, paddle-board, Monop Deal expert."

"Expert?" Tobin questioned, recived a small nod and a smile to confirm. "You're not a champion until you take on the champion AKA me."

Alex raised an eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"Well I highly doubt that," Alex said before taking a bit out of her burger.

"Well ya shouldn't," Tobin could feel her normal personality returning, "You see I got mad skills."

"You do now?"

"You don't believe me?"

Alex shook her head, "Can't say that I do."

"Well I'm going to have to fix that."

Before Alex could reply witha smart response, the two heard a loud voice from their table, "Aw man, we gots to go," Ashlyn told them, "We have practice in the morning."

Tobin looked down at her watch to find the time being 10:40. "Yeah and I have a 8 AM class tomorrow. We better get going." Alex sighed as she stood up to throw her tray away. "Her lemme get that for you," Tobin offered, and before Alex could interject, her tray was being taken to the garbage by the tan surfer.

 

On the way home, Tobin and Alex sat on the front and did their best to block out the two conversations in the back. Alex cleared her throat and decided to start their conversation back up. "So what are you here for?" She recieved a confused look from the driver. "What's your major, I mean."

"Ohhhhh," Tobin laughed, "Religious studies."

Alex smiled, "I'm not surprised."

"Ha, yeah. I guess it's pretty like, me, you know. I guess. What about you?

"Art History."

"You an artist?"

"Ha, yeah I wish. But sadly no. I have no artistic ability whatsoever."

"Why art history then?"

"Liking art and doing art are two different things."

As Alex was telling her this, Tobin pulled up in front of Fuller Hall, the athletic dorm building. "Thanks for the ride, Tobito!" Kelley yelled as the three freshmen barrelled out of the back. "See y'all later!"

 

If Alex and Tobin had hoped to continue their conversation, it was shot to hell by the energetic girl in the back who was leaning into the front. "You guys are borin, don't even have the music on!" Syd shouted as she punched the radio on. She fell back into the back singing along to Katy Perry. "Cause I am the champion, and you're gonna hear me roar!"

Alex chuckled and Tobin laughed, saying, "Sounds like someone needs voice lessons."

Syd reached up and slapped the driver's arm.

Tobin pulled up outside Alex's apartment. "I'm sorry about her," she signaled to the girl in the back, who now seemed to be in her own world.

Alex smiled, "It's fine."

"Here, trade phone's with me for a secondand you can put your number in."

Alex pulled her phone out of her back pocket and handed it to the slightly older girl, recieving one in return. When they were done they traded phone's back. Alex got out of the jeep, "Thanks for the ride, Tobin."

"Anytime," the girl smiled.

Alex waved the two off. Walking into her new building, she looked down at her new contact and laughed. Monop Deal Master.

 

 

Kelley was lying on her bed, looking intently at what was on her laptop. Ashlyn, who was propped up with Ali and the bed opposite of Kelley, became very curious. "Hey Kell," she waited for a reply, but didn't get one. "Kelley, yo." Still no reply. Ashlyn chunked a pillpw at the pale girl, "Kelley!!"

Kelley jumped when the pillow hit her face, and looked at the blonde with a startled expression, "What?!"

"Whatcha doin'?" Ashlyn asked.

Kelley directed her attention back to her computer, "Nothing."

Ash slowly disentangled herself from her girldfriend and took a step towards the small girl's bed. When Kelley realized what was happening, she drew her laptop towards her body, but t was too late. Ashlyn had lunged and had managed to wedge herself inbetween Kelley and the laptop. She looked at the screen and spoke loud enough for Ali to hear clearly. "Hope Solo. Senior at University of California. 22 years old. Born July 30th."

"Ash!" Kelley yelled, hoping Ash would stop and move. But she didn't. She kept on.

"Born in Richland, Washington." Before she could read anything else, she found herself on the floor. She looked up at the girl with a hurt expression before laughing hysterically.

Kelley gave her a pouting, irritated look. "Not. Funny."

"So. Funny," Ali interjected.

Kelley scowled at the two girls before turning her attention back to her research. She didn't find hardly anything on Hope's facebook, and only stuff from the past two years on her twitter. When she decided to call it a night, it was a little past midnight. Ashlyn had gone to her room and Ali was fast asleep.  _"Hope this doesn't affect practice tomorrow,"_ the young girl thought.

 


End file.
